Describe the contemporary issue and explain what external  stressors are associated with this issue.

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In recent years, one of the most pressing contemporary issues has been mental health. Mental health encompasses a wide range of physical and psychological conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Mental illness affects not just individuals but also their families and communities as a whole.

External stressors are environmental factors that can negatively impact an individual’s mental wellbeing. These include traumatic experiences such as physical or emotional abuse, bereavement and loss, unemployment or job insecurity, poverty or financial instability, chronic illness or disability, family discord and relationship breakdowns. Other external stressors related to mental health include social isolation due to lack of community support systems or withdrawal from activities once enjoyed; discrimination based on race or gender identity; unsafe living environments; excessive demands from work or school; bullying in the form of cyberbullying; substance use disorders; nutrition deficiencies due to poor diet and extreme weather events leading to upheaval in routines.

These external stressors interact with people’s pre-existing vulnerabilities – inherited genetic traits (e.g., susceptibility to depression) and prior life experiences (e.g., trauma) – which means that different individuals will have varied responses when faced with the same stressful situation depending on their overall state of psychological resilience at any given time. The more an individual is exposed to external stressors over a period of time without adequate coping strategies in place (i.e., seeking professional help), the greater the risk for developing a physical/psychological disorder associated with their mental health such as depression, anxiety etcetera.